“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
Let’s complete our look at what has to be David’s best known Psalm “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” This verse contains two separate but equally important thoughts.
First is the knowledge that the sheep who are lucky enough to be in the care of a conscientious shepherd know that their lot in life is one marked by the kind graces of their shepherd. No matter what comes their way, they can always be sure that goodness and mercy are in the picture!
You too can have that confidence if you know the Lord Jesus Christ and are under His care. No matter what happens you can be sure that the care you are receiving is motivated by goodness and mercy and tender love.
I wonder how many of us feel that way about Christ? It’s easy when things are going well, but what about those times when my world is falling apart, and my castles are crumbling, and my dreams are dying, can we say then, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life?” I believe the answer to that question to be a resounding yes!
But there is another aspect to this picture. Notice it says, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me.” Phillip Keller in his book, points out that sheep can be the most beneficial of all livestock or the most destructive — it depends upon how they are handled.
If they are managed poorly, they will devastate the land; almost beyond recovery. But if they are managed properly, they are a tremendous benefit to the land. Keller talks about how on various occasions he was allowed to graze his sheep on land that was virtually desolate. Through proper management, the land was restored to places of beauty and productivity because the sheep had been there.
I wonder what people say about us? Will they say that we leave in our paths destruction and turmoil, or will they say wherever we go, goodness and mercy marks our path? Keller writes: “Do I leave behind peace in lives — or turmoil? Do I leave behind forgiveness — or bitterness? Do I leave behind contentment — or conflict? Do I leave behind flowers of joy — or frustration? Do I leave behind love — or rancor?”
Good questions. What are you leaving behind? What am I leaving behind? Goodness and mercy or griping and misery?
The 23rd Psalm. A fount of wisdom, peace, security, truth, and love. Perhaps you are here today, and you have wondered away from the Good Shepherd, you have jumped fence so to speak, and are now far from the Shepherds tender care, and you realize that and you want to come back, let me tell you, the Shepherd has already left the fold and is looking just for you.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Table Lands
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
David has not changed illustrations beginning in verse 5. The table as it is used here most likely refers to the high summer pastures which were known as “the table lands.” In these pastures grew all sorts of lush vegetation — some good, some harmful to the sheep. The shepherd would prepare these pastures by walking through them and carefully picking those plants which would be detrimental to the sheep. Similarly the Good Shepherd knows what is good for you, and He himself is preparing your lot for you.
Anointing with oil, speaks of the Shepherd’s provision for the health and comfort of his sheep.
The lush table-lands of summer were not without danger. Some were big like mountain-lions, bears and wolves. Others were small like flies, gnats and ticks. It was these small irritations which would drive the sheep to utter distraction. So the Good Shepherd would anticipate those needs and meet them by applying regularly an ointment whose main ingredient was olive oil upon the sheep.
In like manner the Good Shepherd cares for every need of His own--big and small. He knows and sees those things which are troubling to you, and He draws you close by His side and anoints you with the balm of Gilead to meet that need.
David has not changed illustrations beginning in verse 5. The table as it is used here most likely refers to the high summer pastures which were known as “the table lands.” In these pastures grew all sorts of lush vegetation — some good, some harmful to the sheep. The shepherd would prepare these pastures by walking through them and carefully picking those plants which would be detrimental to the sheep. Similarly the Good Shepherd knows what is good for you, and He himself is preparing your lot for you.
Anointing with oil, speaks of the Shepherd’s provision for the health and comfort of his sheep.
The lush table-lands of summer were not without danger. Some were big like mountain-lions, bears and wolves. Others were small like flies, gnats and ticks. It was these small irritations which would drive the sheep to utter distraction. So the Good Shepherd would anticipate those needs and meet them by applying regularly an ointment whose main ingredient was olive oil upon the sheep.
In like manner the Good Shepherd cares for every need of His own--big and small. He knows and sees those things which are troubling to you, and He draws you close by His side and anoints you with the balm of Gilead to meet that need.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Rod and the Staff
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is to complete our thought from 4b – "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." As the shepherd led his sheep through these dangerous valleys his rod and staff came into play.
The rod was a stick with a large knot on one end. Keller describes its development. “Each shepherd . . . from the first time he starts to then his . . . flock, takes special pride in the selection of the rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. (For the rod the shepherd) selects a young sapling which is dug from the ground. This is carved and whittled down with great care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where its trunk joins its roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hard wood.” (Keller: A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalm).
The rod was used for three purposes: protection, correction, and inspection. For protection purposes the rod was not only used as a club, but shepherds practice throwing it and are skilled at propelling it with great speed and accuracy. It is, according to Keller, the shepherds main weapon of defense.
Not only was the rod used in protection of the sheep from predators, it was used to correct the sheep from error. If the shepherd observed one of his sheep wandering away on its own or approaching any form of possible danger (such as poisonous weeds, snakes, etc.,) the shepherd would throw his rod. The rod, landing in front of the sheep would startle it and send it scurrying back to the flock for safety.
At night, as the sheep would enter the enclosed pen, the shepherd would stand at the gate of the pen and use the rod to count and inspect his sheep. The sheep would pass under the rod which parted their thick wool so the shepherd could determine their cleanness, the condition of their skin and inspect the sheep for parasites, ticks, or other biting insects.
The second major tool of the shepherd, and the one which we are most familiar with is the shepherd’s staff which was a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end. Often we see pictures of shepherds leaning on their staffs as they watch their flock. The staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue.
One of the primary uses of this staff is to lift a newborn lamb to gently lift and bring it to its mother if it becomes separated from her. The shepherd uses the staff, because if he lifted the lamb with his hands, his scent might cause the mother to reject the lamb which would then die. That staff was also used to draw sheep close to the shepherd that he might more carefully inspect it by rubbing it so that he could get a good feel for the sheep’s real condition.
Second the staff was used to guide the sheep. As the shepherd walked his sheep through these dangerous valleys, he might have to guide them through a particularly narrow passage. He would do so by reaching out and gently touching the sheep with the tip of the staff. Then, putting pressure on the side of the sheep, the sheep would turn along the right path. That staff’s pressure on the sheep’s side was a great comfort to these skittish animals. It assured them that the path they took was in fact the right one. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” With such a picture it is easy to see why the sheep found comfort in these tools of the shepherd.
Finally the staff was used to rescue sheep. Sheep are not only skittish creatures but they are stubborn creatures as well. That stubborness sometimes lead them into the most preposterous situations. A sheep, intent on getting to a certain blade of grass that looks particularly delicious to them might fall into a gully or into a body of water from which they cannot get out. It such circumstances the shepherds long staff is used to extricate the erring sheep from the danger it has put itself in.
Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. He too uses these instruments on us, the sheep of His pasture. Find comfort in these thoughts. He loves you enough that He longs to be near you. The Good Shepherd will protect you, correct you, inspect you, draw you close, safely guide you along the right paths, and rescue you when you wander off the path. He loves you. Trust Him.
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is to complete our thought from 4b – "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." As the shepherd led his sheep through these dangerous valleys his rod and staff came into play.
The rod was a stick with a large knot on one end. Keller describes its development. “Each shepherd . . . from the first time he starts to then his . . . flock, takes special pride in the selection of the rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. (For the rod the shepherd) selects a young sapling which is dug from the ground. This is carved and whittled down with great care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where its trunk joins its roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hard wood.” (Keller: A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalm).
The rod was used for three purposes: protection, correction, and inspection. For protection purposes the rod was not only used as a club, but shepherds practice throwing it and are skilled at propelling it with great speed and accuracy. It is, according to Keller, the shepherds main weapon of defense.
Not only was the rod used in protection of the sheep from predators, it was used to correct the sheep from error. If the shepherd observed one of his sheep wandering away on its own or approaching any form of possible danger (such as poisonous weeds, snakes, etc.,) the shepherd would throw his rod. The rod, landing in front of the sheep would startle it and send it scurrying back to the flock for safety.
At night, as the sheep would enter the enclosed pen, the shepherd would stand at the gate of the pen and use the rod to count and inspect his sheep. The sheep would pass under the rod which parted their thick wool so the shepherd could determine their cleanness, the condition of their skin and inspect the sheep for parasites, ticks, or other biting insects.
The second major tool of the shepherd, and the one which we are most familiar with is the shepherd’s staff which was a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end. Often we see pictures of shepherds leaning on their staffs as they watch their flock. The staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue.
One of the primary uses of this staff is to lift a newborn lamb to gently lift and bring it to its mother if it becomes separated from her. The shepherd uses the staff, because if he lifted the lamb with his hands, his scent might cause the mother to reject the lamb which would then die. That staff was also used to draw sheep close to the shepherd that he might more carefully inspect it by rubbing it so that he could get a good feel for the sheep’s real condition.
Second the staff was used to guide the sheep. As the shepherd walked his sheep through these dangerous valleys, he might have to guide them through a particularly narrow passage. He would do so by reaching out and gently touching the sheep with the tip of the staff. Then, putting pressure on the side of the sheep, the sheep would turn along the right path. That staff’s pressure on the sheep’s side was a great comfort to these skittish animals. It assured them that the path they took was in fact the right one. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” With such a picture it is easy to see why the sheep found comfort in these tools of the shepherd.
Finally the staff was used to rescue sheep. Sheep are not only skittish creatures but they are stubborn creatures as well. That stubborness sometimes lead them into the most preposterous situations. A sheep, intent on getting to a certain blade of grass that looks particularly delicious to them might fall into a gully or into a body of water from which they cannot get out. It such circumstances the shepherds long staff is used to extricate the erring sheep from the danger it has put itself in.
Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. He too uses these instruments on us, the sheep of His pasture. Find comfort in these thoughts. He loves you enough that He longs to be near you. The Good Shepherd will protect you, correct you, inspect you, draw you close, safely guide you along the right paths, and rescue you when you wander off the path. He loves you. Trust Him.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Fearsome Valley of Death
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4a – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Death. That is not a topic we like to think about or discuss for long. Unfortunately, because of sin, death is total in every generation. Lewis once observed that death does not increase in time of war, it is 100% in every generation. He’s right. One out of one dies. So while we may not want to think of death, its presence is painfully real. Gregory Zilburg, a prominent Psychologist said, “Fear of death is present in our mental functioning at all times.”
Death is not always a “sweet release” as some Christian writers have said. The Bible describes death as “the last enemy.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:26).
Now David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (and I cannot emphasize this enough. The Bible is not man’s word it is God’s Word.), says something very interesting about death. He says it is but a shadow.
George Sweeting, President emeritus of Moody Bible Institute use to say about this passage. “Just as the shadow of a gun can shoot you, or the shadow of a knife can’t stab you, so for the Christian, death is nothing but a passing shadow–it can’t hurt you.” He’s right. The shadow may be dark and scary, but in that hour of our greatest need, Jesus Christ promises to be with us. The Good Shepherd will not let those of us who know Him venture through that dark valley alone!
One more thought along these lines. Often we use this Psalm in funerals. Death is the final enemy. But I think that there is more going on here than a reference to death. The sheep are not going to death, they are going through a valley fraught with dangers, fraught with fear and they normally would be scared to death! (Remember we talked about scared sheep in our study of the first verse of this wonderful passage). These sheep, by all accounts, should be scared to death, but they are not. Why not? The shepherd is with them.
I don’t know what dark valley you may be in this morning. I do know you are not there alone. The Good Shepherd is right there with you, leading you, guiding you, guarding you, keeping you, and he will deliver you safely out the other side. Count on it! Even in death, the believer has nothing to fear. Christ promises to be with us. Take heart!
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4a – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Death. That is not a topic we like to think about or discuss for long. Unfortunately, because of sin, death is total in every generation. Lewis once observed that death does not increase in time of war, it is 100% in every generation. He’s right. One out of one dies. So while we may not want to think of death, its presence is painfully real. Gregory Zilburg, a prominent Psychologist said, “Fear of death is present in our mental functioning at all times.”
Death is not always a “sweet release” as some Christian writers have said. The Bible describes death as “the last enemy.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:26).
Now David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (and I cannot emphasize this enough. The Bible is not man’s word it is God’s Word.), says something very interesting about death. He says it is but a shadow.
George Sweeting, President emeritus of Moody Bible Institute use to say about this passage. “Just as the shadow of a gun can shoot you, or the shadow of a knife can’t stab you, so for the Christian, death is nothing but a passing shadow–it can’t hurt you.” He’s right. The shadow may be dark and scary, but in that hour of our greatest need, Jesus Christ promises to be with us. The Good Shepherd will not let those of us who know Him venture through that dark valley alone!
One more thought along these lines. Often we use this Psalm in funerals. Death is the final enemy. But I think that there is more going on here than a reference to death. The sheep are not going to death, they are going through a valley fraught with dangers, fraught with fear and they normally would be scared to death! (Remember we talked about scared sheep in our study of the first verse of this wonderful passage). These sheep, by all accounts, should be scared to death, but they are not. Why not? The shepherd is with them.
I don’t know what dark valley you may be in this morning. I do know you are not there alone. The Good Shepherd is right there with you, leading you, guiding you, guarding you, keeping you, and he will deliver you safely out the other side. Count on it! Even in death, the believer has nothing to fear. Christ promises to be with us. Take heart!
Monday, October 19, 2009
From Valley to Mountain
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4b – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The picture David is painting for us in this verse involves it seems the movement of the flock from their winter pasture to their summer pasture. In that journey, they had to go through dangerous territory. David describes it as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Some commentators believe that this is a description of an actual chasm that David may have had to lead his sheep through–a chasm where wild animals could hide in ambush, a chasm where the sudden rise of waters could become a deadly torrent, a chasm that was deep and dark.
Phillip Keller says, “In the Christian life we often speak of wanting ‘to move to higher ground with God.’ How we long to live above the lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights and entered into this more sublime sort of life.
“Often we get an erroneous ides about how this takes place. It is as though we imagined we could be ‘air lifted’ onto higher ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so. As with ordinary sheep management, so with God’s people, one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.
“Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top is always along these valleys.” (Keller: “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapid MI 1970 pp. 83-84).
Now, it is through these dangerous valleys that the shepherd’s rod and staff come into play. The rod was an instrument of protection, correction, and inspection while the staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue. Tomorrow we will look closer at these two important tools of the shepherd’s trade.
Here’s what I know, The Good Shepherd is in that valley He has put you in. Did you catch that? We often try to protect God from the hard things of life. How silly. He who is all-knowing and all-powerful doesn’t need the protection of we who are limited and weak! We need His help, He doesn’t need ours! Burn that thought into you heart. If you are in a valley right now, you can be sure that it is a valley that the Good Shepherd has chosen for the purpose of getting you safely to higher ground. Don’t panic, follow. Even the sheep know that those valleys of deep shadows (through which none of them would go willingly because of their skittish natures) is a safe passage as long as the Shepherd is with them. So is your valley.
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4b – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The picture David is painting for us in this verse involves it seems the movement of the flock from their winter pasture to their summer pasture. In that journey, they had to go through dangerous territory. David describes it as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Some commentators believe that this is a description of an actual chasm that David may have had to lead his sheep through–a chasm where wild animals could hide in ambush, a chasm where the sudden rise of waters could become a deadly torrent, a chasm that was deep and dark.
Phillip Keller says, “In the Christian life we often speak of wanting ‘to move to higher ground with God.’ How we long to live above the lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights and entered into this more sublime sort of life.
“Often we get an erroneous ides about how this takes place. It is as though we imagined we could be ‘air lifted’ onto higher ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so. As with ordinary sheep management, so with God’s people, one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.
“Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top is always along these valleys.” (Keller: “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapid MI 1970 pp. 83-84).
Now, it is through these dangerous valleys that the shepherd’s rod and staff come into play. The rod was an instrument of protection, correction, and inspection while the staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue. Tomorrow we will look closer at these two important tools of the shepherd’s trade.
Here’s what I know, The Good Shepherd is in that valley He has put you in. Did you catch that? We often try to protect God from the hard things of life. How silly. He who is all-knowing and all-powerful doesn’t need the protection of we who are limited and weak! We need His help, He doesn’t need ours! Burn that thought into you heart. If you are in a valley right now, you can be sure that it is a valley that the Good Shepherd has chosen for the purpose of getting you safely to higher ground. Don’t panic, follow. Even the sheep know that those valleys of deep shadows (through which none of them would go willingly because of their skittish natures) is a safe passage as long as the Shepherd is with them. So is your valley.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Apologia
More often than not I listen to the talk radio programs in my car instead of music. It seems like the playlist of the radio stations runs the same songs over and over again until I find myself disliking a song that at one point I really liked. Anyway, I was listening to a radio program on the way to work and it was one I had not listened to before. The guys doing the commentary portion were amiable enough and had touched on some interesting political discussion, but then the subject turned to faith. One of the fellows said he didn’t buy into “book based” religion. And he added that “if God was going to give us something in written form, it would be something of an astounding scientific nature that would confirm His existence.” I think the DJ was right and wrong. The Bible does present certain facts about creation that would have been astounding to the first readers and generations of readers, but I think he is wrong in that God would give us purely science when what we needed most was redemption.
The ideas and truths of the Bible that speak of the intricacies of His creation would have been hard to understand to the original readers. Not only that, some of its assertions has been hard to grasp for thousands of years. Think of what the Bible says about blood. Blood has been referred to as “our red river of life.” But it wasn’t until 1628 that the medical doctor William Harvey discovered that human blood circulates. Physicians had long developed their own theories about blood and how it was related to a person’s overall health. Consequently, the practice of draining small amounts of blood from a sick person came about to get rid of the “bad blood.” America’s first president died from a series of blood letting in an attempt to make him well. Could it be that ever since that time the politicians have been bleeding us to death to get even? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that last statement.
The truth about the nature of our physiology was given to us thousands of years before Washington or Harvey. Moses wrote in Leviticus 17:14 that “the life is in the blood.” The blood is the life of all flesh. It is only in the past few centuries that this was not considered an astounding revelation, but at its inception it was millennia ahead of any science. One of the reasons I trust the Word of God is because these types of facts are verified throughout its pages. Sometimes they are immediately verified, and some times it takes awhile for man-made science to discover its truth.
The ideas and truths of the Bible that speak of the intricacies of His creation would have been hard to understand to the original readers. Not only that, some of its assertions has been hard to grasp for thousands of years. Think of what the Bible says about blood. Blood has been referred to as “our red river of life.” But it wasn’t until 1628 that the medical doctor William Harvey discovered that human blood circulates. Physicians had long developed their own theories about blood and how it was related to a person’s overall health. Consequently, the practice of draining small amounts of blood from a sick person came about to get rid of the “bad blood.” America’s first president died from a series of blood letting in an attempt to make him well. Could it be that ever since that time the politicians have been bleeding us to death to get even? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that last statement.
The truth about the nature of our physiology was given to us thousands of years before Washington or Harvey. Moses wrote in Leviticus 17:14 that “the life is in the blood.” The blood is the life of all flesh. It is only in the past few centuries that this was not considered an astounding revelation, but at its inception it was millennia ahead of any science. One of the reasons I trust the Word of God is because these types of facts are verified throughout its pages. Sometimes they are immediately verified, and some times it takes awhile for man-made science to discover its truth.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Leading the Right Way
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The paths of righteousness here mean simply, “right paths.” The Good Shepherd will not lead you down the wrong path, though sometimes in might look like it.
The picture presented in this part of verse 3 is a picture of the shepherd is moving his flock from their winter quarters to their summer lands. To do that, he takes them along a predetermined course.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left alone they will always follow the same path, and in doing so, they will ruin their own land. People are creatures of habit as well. If left alone we will always follow the same path. Someone once said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same things that same way and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take long before one realizes we all are insane to some extent. For instance, with all the clinical studies done on the dangers of smoking, smokers persist in their habit and then seem surprised when they develop lung disease or heart disease.
When it comes to the habits of sheep (and of people), the skilled shepherd knows that his sheep, by nature will want to always travel the same pathway. The shepherd knows that this is not only bad for the land since soon that route would be barren, but it is also bad for the sheep who may not even be aware of the stalking wolf, or lion who soon come to recognize that pattern and could easily lie in wait. The good shepherd precludes both possibilities by careful planning and alternate routing.
But there is another truth to this beautiful picture. The shepherd doesn’t just “map” his route, he takes it before he takes his sheep along that route–he knows what dangers may lie along that route because he has been there!
There are some marvelous verses in Hebrews 4. Let me remind you of them: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). That is how the writer of Hebrews put it. David said the same thing this way: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
One final thought. Notice that immediately after this phrase, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Comes the familiar “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now remember, verse 4 comes after the promise that the Good Shepherd will never lead us wrong!
I don’t know what you may be facing today, but I know this, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can relax knowing that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving Good Shepherd not only knows the path you take, but He’s scouted it out before hand and knows exactly why He is leading you along that path and where that pathway will end!
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The paths of righteousness here mean simply, “right paths.” The Good Shepherd will not lead you down the wrong path, though sometimes in might look like it.
The picture presented in this part of verse 3 is a picture of the shepherd is moving his flock from their winter quarters to their summer lands. To do that, he takes them along a predetermined course.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left alone they will always follow the same path, and in doing so, they will ruin their own land. People are creatures of habit as well. If left alone we will always follow the same path. Someone once said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same things that same way and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take long before one realizes we all are insane to some extent. For instance, with all the clinical studies done on the dangers of smoking, smokers persist in their habit and then seem surprised when they develop lung disease or heart disease.
When it comes to the habits of sheep (and of people), the skilled shepherd knows that his sheep, by nature will want to always travel the same pathway. The shepherd knows that this is not only bad for the land since soon that route would be barren, but it is also bad for the sheep who may not even be aware of the stalking wolf, or lion who soon come to recognize that pattern and could easily lie in wait. The good shepherd precludes both possibilities by careful planning and alternate routing.
But there is another truth to this beautiful picture. The shepherd doesn’t just “map” his route, he takes it before he takes his sheep along that route–he knows what dangers may lie along that route because he has been there!
There are some marvelous verses in Hebrews 4. Let me remind you of them: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). That is how the writer of Hebrews put it. David said the same thing this way: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
One final thought. Notice that immediately after this phrase, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Comes the familiar “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now remember, verse 4 comes after the promise that the Good Shepherd will never lead us wrong!
I don’t know what you may be facing today, but I know this, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can relax knowing that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving Good Shepherd not only knows the path you take, but He’s scouted it out before hand and knows exactly why He is leading you along that path and where that pathway will end!
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